Carrie discovered her passion for supporting people with serious mental health needs as a volunteer rape crisis hotline counselor--when she learned how important immediate counseling access was for all people in crisis. Shortly afterward, she joined the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) as Marketing and Communications Manager for four years. There, Carrie first witnessed the power that public education efforts can have--to advocate for people with disabilities and remove barriers for underrepresented groups to foster respect. By collaborating with CSWE’s scholars and clinical experts, she gained a deeper appreciation for how aging, disability rights, and mental health intersect—and how understanding these connections is vital to promoting dignity, inclusion, and opportunity for all people to live full and independent lives. This experience strengthened her belief that real progress happens when care systems embrace the whole person.

Professional and personal growth opportunities in advocacy, website development, advertising, public relations, program management, and civic leadership introduced Carrie to other nonprofit sectors for the next 14 years. Carrie was immediately drawn to CRi after reading about its Living Independently for Tomorrow (LIFT) Program. Ten percent of Carrie’s high school classmates had been in foster care, and many started experiencing a series of struggles as soon as they became 18, struggles she sees worsening years later. Carrie’s experience at CSWE continues to guide her work at CRi today. She is energized to know that, every day, working with her team on fundraising, communications, and volunteer activities makes choice and independence possible.

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Chris’s role at CRi has been guided by the goal of creating a safe, comfortable environment for individuals served to thrive in and for staff to work in. While his career started in marketing for a Fortune 200 company, he soon realized he wanted his work to be impactful on his community in a more direct way. He has enjoyed working with the Board in building a property holding portfolio through CRi subsidiary, Community Havens, Inc., which gives the agency long-term financial stability.

When he started with CRi in 1992, there were 11 properties in Arlington County, and currently, CRi operates 46 properties in 11 jurisdictions in Virginia and Maryland. Chris supports CRi in its clinical growth opportunities by locating new properties and guiding the agency through the purchase process. The Asset Management team maintains the existing properties and manages the capital improvement process to meet many changing housing and accessibility needs. He also brings thirty years of experience in the field to the Administrative Leadership Team and long-term historical knowledge of the agency.

Chris is motivated by the great work done by the CRi clinical team to provide an opportunity for the individuals to thrive and live with dignity in the community. He loves finding new ways to enhance the environment of care with new building materials, systems, technology, and collaborating with the other teams to help make CRi a gold standard clinical provider and lay the groundwork for the long-term future of the organization.

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Heidi Scalzott serves as the Director of Business Development at CRi, a distinguished nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with mental health needs and developmental disabilities. With a profound commitment to advancing CRi’s mission, Heidi brings a wealth of experience and a strategic mindset to her leadership role. She partners closely with executive leadership, program managers, and community stakeholders to identify new opportunities, foster organizational growth, and secure sustainable resources that enable CRi to expand its impact. Heidi’s work is grounded in both service and equity, driving initiatives that promote inclusion and enable individuals to achieve autonomy and independence within their communities. She is known for developing person-centered strategies, increasing program accessibility, and advocating for innovative solutions that address diverse needs. Her expertise in relationship-building ensures strong connections with donors, community partners, and local businesses, bolstering CRi’s sustainability and visibility. Within CRi, Heidi is recognized for her empathetic approach and collaborative spirit, empowering teams to pursue strategic goals and embody the organization’s vision—to enable every individual to live, work, and thrive. Her role encompasses donor relations, outreach campaign development, and the pursuit of partnerships that align with CRi’s core values. Heidi Scalzott’s dedication, integrity, and forward-thinking leadership are vital to CRi’s ongoing success and lasting community impact, creating pathways for people of all abilities to realize their fullest potential in supportive, inclusive environments.

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Kelly brought her expertise in business process improvement to CRi in 2022, after decades of working with large nonprofit and for-profit health care organizations. She was drawn to CRi’s belief in holistic wellness for people with disabilities, and its mission of promoting independence in community homes.

Kelly sees her role as applying her specialized experience to benefit the financial health of the organization, and to give CRi’s clinical teams more time to care for the individuals we serve. Since at CRi, she has used her technical and analytical skills to lead a 10-person team in addressing communication challenges, e.g. through the implementation of SharePoint.

Kelly’s understanding of electronic records systems and accounting software has allowed her to improve the continuity of care at CRi, and previously at Birmingham Green and at Woodbine Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center. As CRi’s Controller, she works across departments to address inefficiencies in technology, introducing innovative systems solutions to benefit CRi’s Clinical Directors, Program Managers, and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs).

Kelly’s work on the administrative introduction of a new Electronic Health Record system will enable real-time data and lessen the task burden of DSPs. Her team’s use of technology applications to track purchases, receipts, and mileage contribute to good governance at CRi, by making administrative tasks more easily auditable. Her accomplishments at CRi include increasing effectiveness through automation, such as implementing accounting software, and her aspirations involve leveraging artificial intelligence to help clinical teams. 

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